How Many Carbs Are in Chicken Marsala? A Detailed Look

Chicken marsala is a classic Italian dish made with chicken, mushrooms, and Marsala wine. It’s a flavorful, elegant entrée that’s popular at restaurants. But is it keto-friendly and low in carbs? Let’s take a close look at the carb count of chicken marsala.

What Is Chicken Marsala?

Chicken marsala features chicken cutlets or boneless chicken breasts that are lightly breaded or floured and pan-fried. The chicken is then removed and a mushroom sauce is made in the pan using sliced mushrooms, chicken broth or Marsala wine butter garlic, parsley, and seasonings. Finally, the chicken is added back to the pan to soak up the sauce.

It’s an easy, impressive dish with complex flavors from the interplay of the crispy chicken, woodsy mushrooms, and rich Marsala wine sauce. The wine adds notes of caramel, dried fruit, and nuts.

Chicken marsala can be found at many Italian American restaurants It’s also a regular recipe in home kitchens and can be made with simple ingredients.

The Role of Marsala Wine

Chicken marsala gets its name from Marsala wine, a fortified wine originally from Sicily Marsala has an amber color and flavors reminiscent of sherry or port

The wine is a key component in the sauce, adding body, richness, and concentrated fruit flavors. However, chicken marsala can also be made using chicken broth instead of Marsala wine.

Using broth lightens the dish slightly. But for the deepest, most authentic chicken marsala flavor, Marsala wine is recommended.

Chicken Marsala Nutrition Facts and Carb Count

So how many net carbs are actually in chicken marsala? Let’s look at the nutrition numbers.

A 6oz serving of chicken marsala with sauce contains around 7g of net carbs, according to USDA data. This is calculated by subtracting fiber from total carbs.

Here is the full chicken marsala nutrition profile per 6oz serving:

• Calories: 353
• Fat: 16g
• Carbs: 7.6g
• Fiber: 0g
• Net carbs: 7.6g
• Protein: 41.8g

As you can see, chicken marsala contains a moderate amount of carbs, mainly from the Marsala wine and a small amount of sugars. It’s not extremely low carb, but the carbs are reasonable for a keto diet as part of a whole day of eating.

The exact carb count can vary depending on the specific ingredients and recipe. Using chicken broth instead of Marsala wine would lower the carb content somewhat. Adding extra mushrooms or using breaded chicken cutlets instead of flour dredging would increase carbs a bit. But in most recipes, carb counts should stay in a similar range.

Tips for Making Low Carb Chicken Marsala

Here are some tips for keeping carbs as low as possible in chicken marsala:

• Use dry Marsala wine instead of sweet Marsala, which has added sugar. Dry Marsala contributes less than 2g net carbs per 1/4 cup.

• Dredge chicken in flour very lightly rather than heavily breading. A dusting of flour adds crispness without lots of extra carbs.

• Increase the amount of mushrooms, since they are very low carb. Use a mix of mushroom varieties for more depth.

• Serve chicken marsala with a side of cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles instead of pasta or bread.

• Garnish with a bit of chopped parsley for color rather than panko breadcrumbs.

• Use olive oil or avocado oil when cooking. Avoid vegetable and seed oils.

• Skip adding sugar when making the sauce. The Marsala offers enough sweetness.

Fitting Chicken Marsala Into a Keto Meal

At around 7g net carbs per serving, chicken marsala can work for keto as part of a whole day of eating under 20-50g net carbs.

It’s best to pair it with plenty of low carb veggies and healthy fats to help keep carbs in check. Some delicious options:

• Side salad with olive oil dressing

• Roasted asparagus or Brussels sprouts

• Cauliflower mash with butter

• Zucchini noodles tossed in olive oil and garlic

• Spinach sauteed in olive oil

• Broccoli florets with melted cheese

When eating chicken marsala, be mindful of portion sizes and carb counts for the rest of the day. Overall though, this classic dish can definitely be enjoyed in moderation on a keto or low carb diet.

Other Low Carb Italian Chicken Recipes

Chicken marsala is one of many flavorful low carb Italian chicken recipes that are ideal for keto diets. Here are some other delicious options:

Chicken Piccata – Chicken dredged in flour and cooked with lemon, butter, capers, and white wine. About 3g net carbs per serving.

Chicken Cacciatore – Chicken cooked with tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, and herbs. Around 5g net carbs per serving.

Chicken Parmesan – Chicken breaded in Parmesan and almond flour and baked with marinara sauce and mozzarella. Roughly 4g net carbs per serving when avoiding pasta.

Tuscan Chicken – Chicken braised with artichokes, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. Around 4g net carbs per serving.

Chicken Florentine – Chicken baked with spinach, garlic, heavy cream, and cheese. Only 2g net carbs per serving.

Pesto Chicken – Chicken marinated and baked with basil pesto. About 3g net carbs per serving.

Sautéed Chicken Marsala

A serving of chicken masala typically contains between 20 and 30 grams of carbohydrates, but this can vary depending on the recipe and portion size. For example, one cup of chicken masala contains 36.1 grams of carbs. Another source indicates that a serving could have 18 grams of carbs, with 3 grams of fiber. Yet another variation shows 34 grams of carbs, with 7 grams of fiber.

No, traditional Chicken Marsala is typically not considered keto-friendly due to the presence of wheat flour for dredging and the high carbohydrate content in Marsala wine.

A cup of marsala sauce typically contains between 11g and 13g of carbohydrates. The exact amount can vary depending on the specific recipe and ingredients used.